The present invention generally relates to a lockout mechanism for interactive animated toys, and more particularly to a mechanism using a shuttlecock to mechanically limit the rotation of a gear or other moving linkage, such that conflicting forces are prevented.
Interactive toys are popular for children. Interactive toys having animated features and moving appendages increase the life-like character of the toys. Examples of various interactive, animated or robotic dolls and other toys are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,775,352, 4,808,142, 4,836,465, 4,900,289, 4,923,428, 5,108,341, 5,399,115, 5,820,441, and 5,855,502, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention includes an interactive, animated, and robotic doll having movable appendages, such as a head, arms, and legs. The doll includes motors, gears and other linkages to actuate the movement of these appendages. A lockout mechanism is operatively incorporated into the doll for preventing conflicting forces from occurring. A conflicting force occurs when two independent linkages configured to actuate the same appendage attempt to move that appendage in opposed directions simultaneously.
The lockout mechanism may include a shuttlecock interposed two independent linkages that drive motion in a single appendage. The shuttlecock slides between two positions, each of which limits the movement of a corresponding one of the two linkages when the other of the two linkages is actuating motion in the appendage. For example, one disclosed embodiment includes a pair of rotating gears configured to drive the movement of a single body part of the doll in opposed directions. Each gear includes a lockout ridge configured to contact the shuttlecock as it rotates causing the shuttlecock to move into a position blocking the rotation of one of the two gears, thus preventing the doll from attempting to drive the body part in opposed directions.